Stories

Recipe against boring

1 Crazy Pom-Pom Australian Shepherd - 5, 200 kg
1 Golden female with 8 months - 20,400 kg
1 Golden Male with 10 months- 30,400 kg

Close everything. Go to bed early, preference about 21:30 h, pick stolen slippers, pulled curtains, reprehends Goldens attacked by crazy pom-pom, search piacaba WC, stolen towels,… Disconnect television at 22:30 h, and be relief that one hour later crazy pom-pom went to sleep.

About 6h you will notice that crazy pom-pom finds that sleep late is bad, therefore prepare your self for headboard tables where everything is stolen, lamps that wires are pulled, n jumps next to bed, piacaba WC stolen, stolen towels and finally Goldens that join to the party since they cant stand more of crazy pom-pom.

Don’t forget to follow with a breakfast where it does not lack a coffee with milk, a Golden with crazy pom-pom grasped to the tail and some blows of karaté where one sees a crazy pom-pom to try to turn a Golden that with its infinite patience turns him up side down and lain down on top, leaving a CAIM

After this, have an excellent day!

After a week what I found …

A crazy pom-pom that is smart as a fox … In his education he learn that to be grouting as hallways some way to turn and them he found out that climbing the wall, stretch between the dog house and wall, can clime the dog house, where leaping can reach the open kitchen window. Then he jumps to the balcony, from this one to the ground ... And voilá ... Punishment finished ...

But don't be scares that this one also already learned, that his owner doesn't have a good personality and them ... Waits that his owner is well installed on the bed and between sleep, climes the gate between hall and bed room, goes slowly search wc and bed room, steals all that isn't in right place and lies in a corner with his toys.

Well, the Goldens don't think this manubers are quite fare, since, first they respect the gate and don't enter the bed room and second they can't understand how this little one can escapes from every little hole that found.

In the morning ... Around 6h, crazy pom-pom, still thinks that get up earlier is good, goes down the stairs and ... Get ready ... Jumps over Goldens in a xpto strike were ears and lips are beaten, pull and turn.
10 min after Goldens start to cry appealing to the owner court "Please saves us ". Of course that the owner, after hearing about 15 min of fights and growls, goes down stairs to save them ...

New king

So, now there is a new king in the house, that stands for his 30,400 kg brother !

But there is some resembles between the brothers Golden and the cows that Australian Shepherd usually shepherds in the immense plains of America, since now, when he sees the shepherd (that is me) reprehends one of the shoeing machines (goldens), joins the party and starts running around the "cows" barking … really not fair !

I found on this a light sense of justice, since finally I arrive home, and found it untouched. Open the back yard door and enter 2 Golden and a crazy pom-pom barking. At the same time that I clean the yard and put the toys in the box I notice a relieve and tired expression in Goldens face. After I start to make dinner they 3 lay down to sleep … why is it ?

The nights are also more calm, since finally I manage that crazy pompom understood that his owner needs to SLEEP !! and there he comes, through the small hole in the gate and lay down side my bad and sleeps. Of course 6 a.m., still is H hour and the growing and cains start to be listen ...

After a while there I go, down stair, tripping and half asleep …

In my morning café (yes, at this hour I really need it) and bred, I see crazy pom-pom attacking tails, ears, mouth and jump all over their brothers, that have a lot of patience. His energy is on high level !

The porquinha (dirty thing)

The porquinha (dirty thing) is a family heritage, meaning, It is a way for us poor people to create a toy for our four leg companions. Our porquinha (dirty thing) is created putting a roll sock inside another sock, where a knot is given, to create a ball in the sock foot, and the leg is for us to pull.

In this training business, that now I am attending, teacher said that we should stimulate puppy's to the traction play with a cloth. For traction play, it is understood that the dog should pull in one side, we in the other, were we start to walk backwards and making sounds like "grrrrrr...", "look is running", "pull", "ai ai ai", ... You can imagine !

This is intend for the dogs, stimulated by toys, will see them as reward. As such, we have to hide them, only delivering sometime, so that they do not get bored.

He ! He ! He ! Who made this rule doesn't imagine what is a Australian Shepherd pom-pom ...

Well, I reserved upstairs, where only this one can reach through the hole, to play with porquinha (dirty thing). When he sees me go upstairs, follows me, starts jumping, growing, pulling my feet socks, and steels everything that resembles porquinha (dirty thing), until I, in despairs, go and get it, starting "grrrrrr...", "look is running", "pull", "ai ai ai", ...

I don't if you can see the problem, but this is happening several times a day !!!

I already reach the point in asking the teacher what to do ? And he laugh and said, well you have a Aussie, so you must be prepared !!!!

Frisbee

In my adventure by the Australian Shepherd, I found some very interesting sites about the breeding. In some activities describe as good for Aussie, there was the old Frisbee.

In this point I start to think, why I never tried to send a Frisbee ? This is kind of cool and funny !
Ok ! From thought to action, and I went to the supermarket, beach article section, and bought a Frisbee at 1 €. Cool !!

Next step, find a clean ground and try Frisbee with the kids, Teco, Brad and Bri.

There I go, to the clean ground, and I through the Frisbee ... And it flew ... Flew ... Over the kids heads, that didn't care a bit. Now what ? Is my problem ? Dog problem ? Frisbee problem ? Dam, this seams easy on the movies

Well, since I don't like to give up, I went to the old Internet and search for Frisbee in Portugal ... Nothing ! Dam, this Portuguese don't play Frisbee with their dogs ? Of course not !!! Well, in my research on old USA, I found, obviously, sites with contests, rewards, tactics ... And finally a link to teach dogs to play Frisbee EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeee….

Why, Portuguese don't play Frisbee with their dogs ??? This is driving me sick

Forward, there are 3 steps to teach a puppy to play Frisbee:

1º step, teach Apanha or Fetch (the order that I choose), that is to throw an object, that may be a ball, and give the order until they learn to go fetch by the order
2º step, teach Trás or Bring, hi hi hi, this one is more complicated and who as dogs know that normally they are not very cooperative. My advice is simply try to convince them to bring and then make a big party and complements and maybe give a reward (don't forget Larga or Let Go), if they don't bring, the play is over.
3º step, teach Catch, this one is to send, literally food or treats for them to catch. This is done to improve coordination for mouth and eyes

After this 3 are learn, we can't start with a game of ball and then Frisbee

Any one wants a Frisbee game ?

I already started to teach Apanha, when I throw the ball, Trás, for them to bring and Larga (this one works fine the first time in exchange a treat), mine already new Larga, since they are little I use this one for them to let go what they catch in the street.

Catch, always when there is a chance. This morning was with their ration !

I must say that when I throw the ball in the air, Bri and Teco already makes some good moves.

http://www.dallasdogndisc.com/training/how_to_play_frisbee.asp

Dog Show Diary

My crazy pom-pom thinks that his owner went nuts !!!
Let's see she get up at 3 am, wakes the four leg, that now one bother to move. Then load the car, cleaned yards, yells at Roxy that started barking at those hour, and in the end loaded a sleepy and unwilling pom-pom in the car, leaving his brothers at home.
And there we went …
We arrived at 8:30 am in Aveiro, on front of exhibit building after to long round in to big rounds that gave a big round in pom-pom stomach that throw up.
After cleaning … we enter and the first thing … xixi …
Now starts the confusion … barking … voices … intense smells. Then the waiting ...
Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Ok, lets play ball with pom-pom !
Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Ok, snack and one more walk with pom-pom !
Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Ok, ring training, witch reveals lack of skill and pom-pom moves head around to take of the tight leach around his neck.
Tic-tac-tic-tac…
One more walk to see other dogs …
Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Ena, the Collies ring started ! Neat !
Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Time for pom-pom to be brushed, sheared and combed, always with treat or ball distraction.
Tic-tac-tic-tac…
There we go ! The owner already have feat pain (bad choice of shoes), but we went through. The judge had a big smile (this is god or we are making a bad figure). I distract pom-pom with a little ball. The judge give excellent, best breed puppy and said he was a beautiful puppy, but both of us need more practice. Well, no news about that ...
Now we must wait for our turn after lunch.
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…
One more walk for xi-xi, and ball game ! Ena, this time the two Flat girls came to make company to pom-pom and he readily mark them as cows to follow, bark and shepherd.
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Now, the Flat cows and princess Elsa go to ring.
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…
We go hunting for ration samples and pom-pom receives lot of attention, cuddling and questions about the breed.
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Lunch ! We seat on the bench, and pom-pom defends is territory bench ! No one dares to face pom-pom !
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…
One more walk to xi-xi !
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Demonstrations with guard dogs, defense, agility, firemen ...
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…I can't stand this feets !
We go in one more hunting for ration samples !
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Groups start and finally we are again, but a friend goes with pom-pom to the ring (humm, maybe she as more luck), that doesn't collaborate very much, since he doesn't like to be someone else but the owner.
Ena, even so the nice judge (yes, the same) gives 2º place EEEEeeeeee ….
Now we wait for our friends to go !
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…
Teco went to the box to take a nap … he looks so ...!
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…I am on the limit with this feets !
One more walk to xi-xi !
Our friends girls are on now !
Now we all go to play frisbee ! Pom-Pom thinks it is more fun to follow cows Flat then catch frisbee, grate frisbee player he is !!!
Tic-tac-tic-tac… my feet hurt … Tic-tac-tic-tac…
There goes baby Golden and she wan 1º prize ! Ena !
Now we load the cars and go home ! Hiding I went buying pom-pom a toy !

We arrive home and let pom-pom go to his brothers and what a joy … Despite all the tiredness, pom-pom still as energy to run with toy, jump and make grrrr

The Crazy Pom-Pom and the Alligator Clown

We enter in a new chapter in the story of my crazy pom-pom ... The introduction of a Alligator Clown in our family !

And how this happened ? Well, the shepherd is so proud, pleased and happy with her little Aussie, that started to think to have one more is the family. This of course, with the same intention, of work and show.

So, a family reunion was organized were the idea to introduce one more family member was discussed. Of course this means additional sacrifices to all, sheering our space with one more member, patient with a new baby and additional expense control.
After some family discussion, the motion was approved by majority !

The big day arrived and we went to see the new family member. So far so good, people were exited, dogs were crazy and the emotions were high.

We encounter the new member and the play started between crazy pom-pom, my little helper and the new member. When my cows (Brad and Bri) saw her also they started to be very exited. So far so good !

At home ... The confusion started to install ! The new member started to jump all over the place (Clown), pull my little helper pens, bite all that is possible to bite (therefore Alligator) and above all as a strong temper.
The first night, the shepherd didn't sleep ... The point was such that the shepherd feel asleep at work on her desk and had to go home early (Ok ! I admit I was also worry with the Alligator)

The crazy pom-pom is with a huge identity crises, since he stop to be the home baby and started to be a older brother. Stop playing and every time that the shepherd moves he comes and asks for attention ... Poor pom-pom, almost stopped to be crazy ...

After a few days my pom-pom already give some touches to Alligator, that doesn't close her mouth, and I already had to find something (a bone) to replace what she shouldn't chew (but not so interesting).

What it's worth is that I have a fantastic Golden (the cows) that in their huge patient stand the last frequent pom-pom plays and the terrible plays of a Clown Alligator that bites and jumps all over them.

The Crazy Pom-Pom Adolescent

And here I am reporting the happy, or unhappy, occasion that my pom-pom reach adolescence ...

I am not his shepherd any more but now I became a severe keeper of the girls at home.

What to do … I feel unhappy !

Now pom-pom searches a 1001 ways to escape the grates and fences to reach the girls that foolishly arrived to heat. Some form an alliance with me against immorality, other just open them in the search to comply nature appeal.

Yes he looks at me, but only to see if I became distracted for a few moments. In that distraction disappear from the place that he pretends to seat to obey my command and go in pursuit of his next victim.

Now my nights are spent between cry's, restless dogs, scratches on the doors and a look of censure from every one at home. My days are of surveillance, screams and building or repairing fences.

At this moment I don’t feel like a companion or even has a lieder, but as a hard cruel dictator of my home.

A Shepherd Story

Yep the shepherd and little shepherds decided to go shepherd !!!! Hi ! Hi !!! With sheep’s ... !!!! NICE !

Wheel this was a course organized by the blessed Clube Português de Canicultura and, I that never had been close to beans call sheep, decided to arm dogs and luggage and went to shepherd …

So I, 2 assistants and 2 dog shepherds went to the road and, after some indecisions about the road to take, arrived suprisely without making a mistake, and saw our victims ... the sheep’s

Our Master directed the group to a surrounded pasture with our victims inside and after some explanations about presentations started to call one by one.

When was Teco turn, he, that never had seen this woolfy beans, started to look at then strongly, then started to go around the fence. After some turns, the Master introduced the pom-pom inside … and the shepherd turn a wolf and vum straight to the sheep (I must had that I didn’t give him any breakfast). The poor sheep saw death in the shepherd eyes and jumped through the fence …
End of crazy pom-pom presentation …
After a brief talk with the little shepherd to convince him to trade the sheep for some treats at lunch we went back to the fence ... now the Master had a stick to protect the sheep from the wolf and little by little he started to see that there was another talk … the far away call of his shepherds ancestor’s …
Well after presentations were the lunch break.
In the afternoon Master took us through a sleepy slide moody stream (were I fear for my and my assistance life’s) to a pasture were the sheep’s were free. The intention was to test the grouping capability of the shepherds dogs.
The crazy pom-pom liked to be close to the sheep’s out side the fence, but didn’t like the way the Master wave the stick and after some doubts, pom-pom thought to give up … then I came in and convince him to came back and try a little more.
I wonder if this stick fear came from the time I reprehend little pom-pom whit a mop when we wetted the floor … Courses !!

In the next day a new chance to test pom-pom appear and this time I started to run and to tried (I never done it … OK !!!!) to lead the shepherd with gestures and words like NO and Well Done ... Humm, I think Master started to feel the will to send me to uncertain place ... oh wheel … it was the shepherd reputation in danger …
In conclusion, he liked the sheep’s, to be completely muddy and I think I saw a approval shine in his ancestor’s genes … so we will proceed in this quest to the past …

Algarve

So, the family Calado fills bags and luggage’s and moved to Algarve !!!

But attention this didn’t only imply being 2 weeks packing everything, but also a careful planning about dog-space and their transportation.

This owner thinks about everything … well, at lest she thought so …

Well, the trip went ok, the space wasn’t ideal, but will do, but then … the shepherds found the new space, and didn’t won’t to leave the occasion without their mark.

So after redecorating the yard with brown of all the dirt they could find (yes it was with a net … I am not a beginner, ok !!!), started well, do something as a trample (I didn’t saw since I was at work and can only imagine) pulling all the clothe that was drying in a very tall rope (so it seams to me ), after they pull the water hose and open the tap (maybe an attempt to clean ?) and finally they shue the shovel and broom (another attempt to clean for sure).

After all this I felt very welcome to Algarve … and quite … bored for so little to do after this decorations …

But after a exausting week filling holes, cleaning the yard, fixing another rope, find hiding places for shovel, broom, hose and shouting like crazy (I didn’t resist, I m only human …), decided to go to a walk with my dogs by the Algarve lands.

Haaa … what space … what sun … what lack of traffic … what so much work …

Handling of Aussies

My little aussies and me enter in a new phase ... the handling!

What is handling ... well, the handler as the job to teach and take him self the dogs to be showed in ringue, on the dog show.

Say like that, seams easy, but believe me, it isn’t! Especially when we have dogs that don’t want to be still for several minutes or walk in a specific way.

I already had tried for several times alone and unfortunatly, without match success...

It was necessary for me to came and live in Algarve to find someone to teach us and have the dedication to study the aussie grooming.

Is it that difficult the grooming, you ask? Well, yes, when we have dogs that jump, play, roll over and what ever they think in top of the grooming table.
The crazy pom-pom even pretend to fall asleep just to convince us that was enough ... of course, when put on the ground started to play and jumping and even seat on a chair to see the other aussie to be groomed.
Of course my female aussie was more of wanting to run, jump, roll over ... until her owner put her on her back and went on top of her just for her to be still.

All in the dog show day before until 2 a.m.! So don’t say it is easy to go to dog shows!!!!! Because it isn’t!!!!

In the day of the show we got up at 4 a.m. and there we went. After 4 hours of saying that is very far, we mounted our things, and the handler with my female and me with the male went to the ring. TARAM ! Best puppy for my beauty female with handler and 1º Exec for my male with me.

They have a very proud owner!

The trick is to study, practice, learn and have someone that helps us to choose the best to do to make them shine.

For the patience and dedication a big thanks to the handler !

Walking

How the pleasure to walk started ... well, I have two Australian Shepherd that dig holes, open the gas house, the water house, the storage house, eat hoses, eat mangas, catch bugs, open taps, destroy carpets, …. well you got the picture...

We start to read and search the reason for all this through literature of canine psychology.

Well in one of this readings, one of the motives presented for this “destruction” behaviour is the lack of physical exercise. So as assumed owner and above all not a quieter, I removed 1 hour of my daily rest and started to have 1 hour of daily morning exercise.

So, I got up every day at 6:30 a.m., get dress a walking pens, walking boots (ok ok I am a women and this things were in promotion) and during this time the two Australian Shepherd and Golden Retriever fuim fuim rrrrr fuim fuim caim caim and jumping and … Considering the author at this time we have to wait they calm down … ya … they stay calm and look at me “why doesn’t she hurry up” …
Ok, after they being seat looking at me, I take out the leashes and collars from the box and guess , fuim fuim rrrrr fuim fuim caim caim and jumping and … well the I wait again for they to calm down … them I start putting the leashes and once more , fuim fuim rrrrr fuim fuim caim caim and jumping and … I gave up and put the leashes and collars (at least they were calm twice).
Now time to go out and I announce with proud that we achieve the point were I got out the door first and they came next.
After I put the leashes and dogs in place and start to walk down the streets … and what a picture … a crazy woman with four dogs on a leash and until this day they behave perfectly … YES !